Nebraska Lawmakers Begin Debate On Medical Marijuana

The medical marijuana debate is continuing in Nebraska. State senators debated a proposed bill to legalize it Wednesday evening, but no vote was taken.

Debate on the measure was stopped after three hours because supporters failed to gain the 33 votes needed to end a filibuster. The proposal would have also created a system to regulate production and distribution of cannabis to patients.

A number of people left the metro Wednesday to head to Lincoln for the debate. Colton Eggers turns five this summer. He's been having epileptic seizures since he was two. His mom Crista Eggers told 6 News, "We tried the first medication and then the second and the third and now we're up to our 12th now. He's failed 11 medications."

It's why Eggers has been pushing lawmakers to understand the importance of Nebraska allowing medical marijuana so that perhaps her son could get off some of the pharmaceutical drugs. "They understand human suffering but until you watch a child go through something and not be able to help them as their mom I don't think you can understand the pain of feeling that there could be something out there to help."

Governor Ricketts says there's not enough research on medical marijuana and vowed to veto the bill. But that wouldn't end things because signatures are already being collected across Nebraska with the idea to put the medical marijuana issue before the voters on next year's November ballot.

medical marijuana

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